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Azerbaijani tea culture

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Chaykhana (tea house) in Baku, 1888

Tea in Azerbaijan is served freshly brewed, hot and strong. It typically has a bright colour and is served in crystal or any other glasses or cups. Azerbaijanis often use traditional armudu (pear-shaped) glass. For Azerbaijanis tea with milk is uncommon.[1] Traditional tea is served with lemon, cube sugar, sweets and fruit desserts (not jam).[2] Sometimes thyme, mint or rose water is added, which is believed to be good for the stomach and heart.[1]

For Azerbaijanis tea is associated with warmth, hospitality[2] tradition says that one should not allow the guest to leave the house without at least one cup of tea.

Chaykhana

Tea in Azerbaijani traditional armudu (pear-shaped) glass

Azerbaijani people may drink tea in traditional tea houses called chaykhana. Men sit in a chaykhana, playing backgammon (nard), reading newspapers and drinking tea.[3] Historically, Azeri women did not go to public places, so chaykhana used to be a place for men.[4]

Modern history

Historically, tea production used to be one of main industries in Azerbaijan. Although the first tea bushes were commercially grown in Azerbaijan as early as 1912, tea-growing gained commercial value in the 1930s under Soviet rule.[5] In 1934, specialists from Moscow visited the Talysh populated city of Lankaran[6][7] and took samples of the soil. They analyzed the samples and found that Lankaran is one of the most fructuous areas for tea growing. Since that time, tea factories have been operating in Lankaran and neighbouring regions. From then on, Lankaran became the main area in Azerbaijan for the cultivation of rice, tea, citrus fruit and vegetables.

In the 1980s, tea-production peaked up in the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. Approximately, 34–38,000 tonnes of tea leaves were harvested annually in that time. However, tea production decreased as a result of the fall of the former Soviet Union. In 2007–2008, less than 500 tonnes were harvested and it was the lowest point.[8]

Tea drinking traditions

Tea is served with various sweets, fruit jam and sliced lemon.[9]

Samovar tea

In Azerbaijan, people boil water in heated metal containers known as samovars. Archaeologist Tufan Akhundov found a pottery samovar, possibly up to 3,600 years old, in Sheki a town located at the foothills of the Caucasus.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b "Chaihana: culture in action". Aze.info. Archived from the original on 2013-01-05. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b Africa, Asia, and Oceania: Culturegrams 2002. Page 19

    Visiting relatives or friends is popular, and hospitality is part of the culture. Friends and family visit without prior notice. Guests often are invited for a meal or for tea. Tea is a friendly midafternoon affair that includes pastries, fruit deserts, fruit, candy and tea:
  3. ^ Azerbaijan. David C. King
  4. ^ The Azerbaijani Turks: power and identity under Russian rule. Audrey L. Altstadt
  5. ^ BAYRAMOVA, JEYRAN (May 2013). "GOD'S DRINK - VOYAGE TO THE LAND OF AZERBAIJANI TEA". VOAM. Visions of Azerbaijan.
  6. ^ "Lankaran". The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Columbia University Press. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  7. ^ "UNPO: Talysh". unpo.org. Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization. Retrieved 2023-06-09. Largely concentrated in southern Azerbaijan and north-western Iran, with a major population centre in the city of Lenkoran.
  8. ^ "Visions of Azerbaijan Magazine ::: God's Drink - Voyage to the land of Azerbaijani tea". Visions of Azerbaijan Magazine (in Russian). Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  9. ^ "Ancient traditions of tea drinking in Azerbaijan". AzerNews.az. 2013-04-26. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  10. ^ Jafarova, Aynur (26 April 2013). "Ancient traditions of tea drinking in Azerbaijan". Azernews.
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